Tel (65) 9357 7911
Email yee.sin.leo@nhghealth.com.sg

Professor Leo Yee Sin currently holds multiple portfolios including as Senior Advisor at National Centre for Infectious Diseases and National Healthcare Group, and Professor (faculty) to both National University Singapore and Nanyang Technological University Singapore, and Clinical Professor at the Yong Loo Ling School of Medicine, National University Singapore.

Professor Leo holds dual specialist accreditations as an adult infectious disease physician and public health. She is the inaugural Executive Director of Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) from 2017 to 2023. During her tenure, she established NCID as an innovative institution integrating clinical care, public health, research, training, and community outreach. She led teams through multiple outbreaks in Singapore, notably from Nipah virus in 1999, arboviruses outbreaks and 3 pandemics including SARS-2003, pH1N1 in 2009 and COVID-19 in 2020-2022.

• NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

• Arboviruses
• Emerging Infection

• MPH, MSc

• MB.,BS, MRCP, M.Med(Int Med), MPH, FAMS

• October 2025, College of Physician Singapore Honorary Followship
• December 2022, National Awards (COVID-19)
• August 2022, National Day Award – The Public Service (STAR), BBM
• December 2022, Singapore Medical Association Merit Award
• March 2022, Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame
• April 2022, Conferred the title of Knight of the French Order of the Legion of Honour
• 3 November 2021, Distinguished Alumni Service Award, National University of Singapore Alumni
• August 2021, Lee Foundation-NHG Lifetime Achievement (LA) Award
• 2 February 2021, THE STRAITS TIMES Singaporean of the Year 2020 – Frontline Fighters Against COVID-19
• November 2020, BBC 100 Women
• 10 August 2020, NATIONAL DAY AWARD – The Public Administration Medal (SILVER)
• 23 July 2016, IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award 2016
• 15 July 2016, National Healthcare Group Recognition Award Distinguished Senior Clinician Award
• 29 November 2014, 9th SAC 2014- Red Ribbon Award for HIV Clinical Care
• 12 August 2013, MOH – NATIONAL DAY AWARD 2013 – Long Service Medal (25 years)
• 21 June 2013, National Healthcare Group Distinguished Achievement Award
• 10 August 2012, NATIONAL DAY AWARD – The Public Administration Medal (BRONZE)
• 16 October 2009, National Healthcare Group Outstanding Citizenship Award
• 11 November 2005, Excellence Service Star Award
• 20 November 2004, Great Women of the 21st Century, ABI
• 13 August 2003, NATIONAL DAY AWARD – The Public Service (STAR), BBM – SARS
• 2003, PRESIDENT Courage Award – SARS

• Current – Senior Consultant, Senior Advisor, NCID/National Healthcare Group, Professor of SSH SPH, NUS and LKC SoM, NTU
• 2023 – 2025 Director-General of Health’s Office (DGHO), Ministry of Health (MOH)
• 2017 – 2023, Executive Director, National Centre for Infectious Diseases
• 2012-2017, Clinical Director, Institute of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology
• 2003 – 2012, Head of Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
• 2001 – Current, Senior Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases
• 1996 – 2001, Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
• 1990 – 1995, Registrar, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
• 1983 – 1990, Houseman & Medical Officer, Ministry of Health

Academic Positions

• Since 2023, Professor (Faculty) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore
• Since 2013, Clinical Professor Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
• Since 2024,  Professor (Faculty) Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University

• Program lead, ArBOviruses (DEngue), Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

• Member, Ad-Hoc Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee (FPTC)

• Moving cholera vaccines ahead of the epidemic curve. Memish ZA, Blumberg L, Al-Maani AS, Baru R, Dube E, Gao GF, Jernigan DB, Leo YS, Peiris JSM, Masud JHB, McVernon J, Nonvignon J, Ogunsola FT, Reese H, Safdar RM, Ungchusak K, Wieler LH, Heymann D. Lancet. 2023 Oct 17:S0140-6736(23)02244-4. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02244-4.[IF 88.5]
• Correction: Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19. Matuozzo D, Talouarn E, Marchal A, Zhang P, Manry J, Seeleuthner Y, Zhang Y, Bolze A, Chaldebas M, Milisavljevic B, Gervais A, Bastard P, Asano T, Bizien L, Barzaghi F, Abolhassani H, Tayoun AA, Aiuti A, Darazam IA, Allende LM, Alonso-Arias R, Arias AA, Aytekin G, Bergman P, Bondesan S, Bryceson YT, Bustos IG, Cabrera-Marante O, Carcel S, Carrera P, Casari G, Chaïbi K, Colobran R, Condino-Neto A, Covill LE, Delmonte OM, Zein LE, Flores C, Gregersen PK, Gut M, Haerynck F, Halwani R, Hancerli S, Hammarström L, Hatipoğlu N, Karbuz A, Keles S, Kyheng C, Leon-Lopez R, Franco JL, Mansouri D, Martinez-Picado J, Akcan OM, Migeotte I, Morange PE, Morelle G, Martin-Nalda A, Novelli G, Novelli A, Ozcelik T, Palabiyik F, Pan-Hammarström Q, de Diego RP, Planas-Serra L, Pleguezuelo DE, Prando C, Pujol A, Reyes LF, Rivière JG, Rodriguez-Gallego C, Rojas J, Rovere-Querini P, Schlüter A, Shahrooei M, Sobh A, Soler-Palacin P, Tandjaoui-Lambiotte Y, Tipu I, Tresoldi C, Troya J, van de Beek D, Zatz M, Zawadzki P, Al-Muhsen SZ, Alosaimi MF, Alsohime FM, Baris-Feldman H, Butte MJ, Constantinescu SN, Cooper MA, Dalgard CL, Fellay J, Heath JR, Lau YL, Lifton RP, Maniatis T, Mogensen TH, von Bernuth H, Lermine A, Vidaud M, Boland A, Deleuze JF, Nussbaum R, Kahn-Kirby A, Mentre F, Tubiana S, Gorochov G, Tubach F, Hausfater P; COVID Human Genetic Effort; COVIDeF Study Group; French COVID Cohort Study Group; CoV-Contact Cohort; COVID Clinicians; Orchestra Working Group; Amsterdam UMC Covid-19 Biobank; NIAID-USUHS COVID Study Group; Meyts I, Zhang SY, Puel A, Notarangelo LD, Boisson-Dupuis S, Su HC, Boisson B, Jouanguy E, Casanova JL, Zhang Q, Abel L, Cobat A. Genome Med. 2024 Jan 6;16(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s13073-023-01278-0. Erratum for: Genome Med. 2023 Apr 5;15(1):22. PMID: 38184654 [IF 11.2]
• An updated framework for SARS-CoV-2 variants reflects the unpredictability of viral evolution. Subissi L, Otieno JR, Worp N, Attar Cohen H, Oude Munnink BB, Abu-Raddad LJ, Alm E, Barakat A, Barclay WS, Bhiman JN, Caly L, Chand M, Chen M, Cullinane A, de Oliveira T, Drosten C, Druce J, Effler P, El Masry I, Faye A, Ghedin E, Grant R, Haagmans BL, Happi C, Herring BL, Hodcroft EB, Ikejezie J, Katawera V, Kassamali ZA, Leo YS, Leung GM, Kondor RJ, Marklewitz M, Mendez-Rico J, Melhem NM, Munster V, Nahapetyan K, Naindoo D, Oh DY, Peacock TP, Peiris M, Peng Z, Poon LLM, Rambaut A, Saha S, Shen Y, Siqueira MM, Volz E, Tessema SK, Thiel V, Triki H, van der Werf S, von Eije K, Cunningham J, Koopmans MPG, von Gottberg A, Agrawal A, Van Kerkhove MD. Nat Med. 2024 Sep;30(9):2400-2403. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-02949-0. [IF 58.7]
• Dengue versus COVID-19: Comparing the incidence of cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, and autoimmune complications. Wee LE, Lim JT, Tan JYJ, Malek MIBA, Chiew C, Ng LC, Chia PY, Leo YS, Lye DCB, Tan KB. J Travel Med. 2024 Jul 7;31(5):taae081. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taae081. [IF 9.1]
• Role of non-human primate models in accelerating research and developing countermeasures against Zika virus infection. Li A, Coffey LL, Mohr EL, Raper J, Chahroudi A, Ausderau KK, Aliota MT, Friedrich TC, Mitzey AM, Koenig MR, Golos TG, Jaeger HK, Roberts VHJ, Lo JO, Smith JL, Hirsch AJ, Streblow DN, Newman CM, O’Connor DH, Lackritz EM, Van Rompay KKA, Adams Waldorf KM; Zika Expert Workgroup. Lancet Microbe. 2025 Jun;6(6):101030. doi: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2024.101030. Epub 2025 Feb 27. [IF 20.4]
• Specimen and data sharing to advance research and development on Zika virus. Peeling RW, Fongwen NT, Guzman MG, Méndez-Rico JA, Avumegah MS, Jaenisch T, Lackritz EM; Zika Expert Workgroup. Lancet Microbe. 2025 Jun;6(6):101057. doi: 10.1016/j.lanmic.2024.101057. Epub 2025 Feb 27. [IF 20.4]
• Zika virus vaccines and monoclonal antibodies: a priority agenda for research and development. Ostrowsky JT, Katzelnick LC, Bourne N, Barrett ADT, Thomas SJ, Diamond MS, Beasley DWC, Harris E, Wilder-Smith A, Leighton T, Mehr AJ, Moua NM, Ulrich AK, Cehovin A, Fay PC, Golding JP, Moore KA, Osterholm MT, Lackritz EM; Zika Expert Workgroup. Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Jul;25(7):e402-e415. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00750-3. Epub 2025 Feb 27. [IF 17·7]
• Zika virus: advancing a priority research agenda for preparedness and response. Lackritz EM, Ng LC, Marques ETA, Rabe IB, Bourne N, Staples JE, Méndez-Rico JA, Harris E, Brault AC, Ko AI, Beasley DWC, Leighton T, Wilder-Smith A, Ostrowsky JT, Mehr AJ, Ulrich AK, Velayudhan R, Golding JP, Fay PC, Cehovin A, Moua NM, Moore KA, Osterholm MT, Barrett ADT; Zika Expert Workgroup. Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Jul;25(7):e390-e401. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00794-1. Epub 2025 Feb 27. [IF 17·7]
• Adverse fetal and perinatal outcomes associated with Zika virus infection during pregnancy: an individual participant data meta-analysis. Zika Virus Individual Participant Data Consortium. EClinicalMedicine. 2025 May 8;83:103231. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103231. eCollection 2025 May. [IF 10.0]
• A systematic nomenclature for mpox viruses causing outbreaks with sustained human-to-human transmission.
  Ruis C, Lusamaki E, O’Toole A, Otieno JR, Colquhoun R, Roemer C, Wawina-Bokalanga T, Tshiani-Mbaya O, Jansen D, Makangara JC, Agrawal A, Abu-Raddad LJ, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Ayouba A, Azhar EI, Caly L, Drosten C, Faria NR, Fowotade A, Hoxha A, Huang B, Korber B, le Polain de Waroux O, Lewis RF, Liesenborghs L, Melhem NM, Munster VJ, Ogoina D, Oude Munnink BB, Peiris JSM, Palacios G, Peeters M, Resende P, Rimoin AW, Saha S, Leo YS, Suzuki T, Vercauteren K, Yadav P, Van Kerkhove MD, Neher R, de Oliveira T, Ulaeto D, Mbala-Kingebeni P, Kindrachuk J, Koopmans MPG, Chand M, von Gottberg A, Subissi L, Rambaut A. Nat Med. 2025 Jul 29. doi: 10.1038/s41591-025-03820-6. Online ahead of print. [IF 50.0]
• Mosquito salivary sialokinin reduces monocyte activation and chikungunya virus-induced inflammation via neurokinin receptors. Fong SW, Tan JJL, Sridhar V, Amrun SN, Neo VKX, Wong N, Lee B, Chan YH, Torres-Ruesta A, Loo LH, Loo AXY, Tan SKW, Chee RSL, Chua TK, Rouers A, Carissimo G, Lum FM, Leo YS, Renia L, Kini RM, Ng LFP. Nat Commun. 2025 Oct 20;16(1):8644. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-64468-x. PMID: 41115926; PMCID: PMC12537910. [IF 15.7]
• Risk of dengue following prior SARS-CoV-2 infection: a population-based cohort study. Wee LE, Lim JT, Tay AT, Dickens B, Ma P, Chiew C, Chia PY, Leo YS, Ng LC, Lye DC, Tan KB. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2025 Nov 7;64:101727. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101727. PMID: 41281901; PMCID: PMC12639892. [IF 8.1]
• Neurological Events Associated With Acute Dengue Infection. Wee LE, Tan WZ, Chow JY, Lim JT, Chiew C, Chia PY, Dickens B, Ng LC, Ong B, Leo YS, Lye DC, Tan KB. JAMA Neurol. 2026 Feb 1;83(2):171-180. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.4608. PMID: 41284268; PMCID: PMC12645396. [IF 21.3]
• Summary of WHO clinical practice guidelines for influenza. Vandvik PO, Agarwal A, Rylance J, Agoritsas T, Guyatt G, Leo YS, McGloughlin S, Diaz J. BMJ. 2026 Feb 27;392:e087397. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2025-087397. PMID: 41760115. [IF 42.7]
• Adult dengue vaccination in a low transmission setting: A modelling study in Singapore. Senapati A, Thein TL, Leo YS, Clapham HE. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2026 Mar 2;20(3):e0014062. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014062. PMID: 41770744; PMCID: PMC12970969. [IF 3.4]

• 11 March 2024, Interview – ACSI Podcast Recording with Prof Leo Yee-Sin
• 25 March 2024, Interview – (via ZOOM) The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (A joint venture between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital) – Outbreak Response Protocol
• 21 May 2024, Interview – Money FM 89.3 Interview Emaad X Leo Yee Sin (Dengue)
• 6 June 2024, Interview (via ZOOM) with Channel 8 news – The study Prof Leo co-authored about the association between Vit D levels and dengue infection
• 8 November 2024, Interview – NUS Medicine 120th Anniversary documentary
• 05 February 2025, Interview – 10th year of The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award video
• 31 January 2026, Commentary – The Straits Times commentary: Are we about to live through a Nipah virus pandemic?
• 06 February 2026, Interview – Comment on Channel News Asia article: FAQ: What you need to know to protect yourself from measles
• 26 February 2026, Interview – Mediacorp Channel 8 Hello Singapore 狮城热话 Talkshow: Tuberculosis Situation in Malaysia